Blurb: Everyone deserves a happy ending. Planning a wedding while Gideon heals has been tough, but enjoyable at the same time. Who knew this sort of life would be everything I ever wanted? Our road was rough, but absolutely worth it. Combining everything I love into one, we are planning our Winter Wonderland wedding for just after Christmas. We will start a new year and our new life together in the most beautiful setting I can imagine. Something tells me there are even more surprises for Gideon and I. In fact, I can feel it fluttering in my belly. I couldn’t be happier right now. After that nightmare, this dream is so welcome.

Author Info: C.L. Matthews resides in Utah, the state with the best snow on Earth. She’s not a fan of the snow, but loves her home just the same. She’s known for her swag creations and creative pieces. Her hobbies consist of crafting, drinking coffee until she can’t consume anymore, and reading until she falls asleep with a book in her lap. She’s happily married to childhood best friend. She got her happily ever after.

I once read that every
warrior hoped an honorable death would find him. I always went looking for
mine, but not even the Reaper wanted me.

I was trained to kill. I was
trained to not ask why. To take orders and just march in line. Hooah
motherfucker.

Life or death.

Ride or die.

And I’m not only talking
about the military. I’m talking about the life that led me on the road to
nowhere.

My life.

I fought for my brothers.

I fought for my family.

I fought for my country.

And I fought for her…

Never realizing I might die
for them too.

I sat under a tree in an open field, waiting for the twelve
o’clock train to pass through town. Another habit I formed growing up. I loved
nothing more than trucking through the woods on my dirt bike near the tracks. Finding myself in the middle of nowhere, relishing
the freedom.

Waiting…

Thinking…

Contemplating…

The past. The present. The future.

Then. Now. Forever.

My fucking life.

Wishing I could get on the next train and never look back.
But it was just that. A wish. A glimmer of hope outside of the bullshit called
my life. Nothing had changed since the last time I fucking lived in this goddamn
town. No welcome home party from family or friends, no thanks or parades from
the town residents for serving our country.

Nothing.

Everything I had done, I had done it for him. If I didn’t
have my baby brother, Noah, to look after, I would have never come back here. I
thought I was done with this place, I left my past behind and everything that
came along with being a Jameson. Then life reared its ugly head and snapped me
back to my reality. In the end it never mattered, I would always be on the
wrong side of the tracks and they would always lead me to the wrong station. Changing
my people, places, and things throughout the years didn’t help change the
outcome of the choices I’d made. Of the things I’d done.

Living in a world where I was worth more dead than alive was
a choice. I was a bad man, never claimed to be anything else. I’ve done things
I’m not proud of. Seen things that can’t be unseen. I’ve caused pain that I
can’t undo.

It was all my choice.

Every decision.

Every order.

Right and wrong never mattered.

Until her.

She was under my protection, until she became my obsession.

But who was going to save her…

From. Me. The devil himself.

Fate brought us together. Destiny destroyed us.

“Go stretch again, cariño,” I ordered in a dominant tone. Nodding to the barre.“I’m fine,” she stubbornly replied. Shaking her legs and arms out. Getting back into position, looking at me through the mirror.I cocked my head to the side, arching an eyebrow. She narrowed her eyes at me, but begrudgingly listened. I pressed play, allowing the melody to once again take over. She placed her leg on the lowest barre, making her ass stick out in my direction.
Tempting me.
She closed her eyes, needing to get lost in the music, wanting to push away all the negative thoughts, already feeling discouraged. I stood, taking off my suit jacket. Rolling up the sleeves of my collared shirt as I stepped onto the hardwood floor. I slowly came up behind her, catching her off guard.
She froze, turning around, opening her eyes. Peering up at me through her lashes. “What are you doing?”
I leaned forward against her ear, grinning. “I’m helping you stretch.” Getting down on my knees in front of her.
Her eyes dilated. The feeling of disappointment replaced with nothing but lust. She placed her arms out to the side, resting up against the barre, supporting her weight. I grabbed her ankle, lifting it up in the air, rubbing along her leg as it was fully stretched, before setting it on the lowest barre. Running my other hand up her side, easing her over toward the extended leg. She understood what I was doing, reaching for her ankle, stretching. Standing back up, bringing her arms above her head, I caressed along her leg again, casually turning her torso so her leg was still placed on the barre behind her.
Her breathing hitched as I touched her all over her lower body. My lips softly kissing the inside of her thigh to where she wanted my mouth the most.

Living in a world where I was worth more dead than alive was
a choice. I was a bad man, never claimed to be anything else. I’ve done things
I’m not proud of. Seen things that can’t be unseen. I’ve caused pain that I
can’t undo.

It was all my choice.

Every decision.

Every order.

Right and wrong never mattered.

Until her.

She was under my protection, until she became my obsession.

But who was going to save her…

From. Me. The devil himself.

Fate brought us together. Destiny destroyed us.

“Go stretch again, cariño,” I ordered in a dominant tone. Nodding to the barre.“I’m fine,” she stubbornly replied. Shaking her legs and arms out. Getting back into position, looking at me through the mirror.I cocked my head to the side, arching an eyebrow. She narrowed her eyes at me, but begrudgingly listened. I pressed play, allowing the melody to once again take over. She placed her leg on the lowest barre, making her ass stick out in my direction.
Tempting me.
She closed her eyes, needing to get lost in the music, wanting to push away all the negative thoughts, already feeling discouraged. I stood, taking off my suit jacket. Rolling up the sleeves of my collared shirt as I stepped onto the hardwood floor. I slowly came up behind her, catching her off guard.
She froze, turning around, opening her eyes. Peering up at me through her lashes. “What are you doing?”
I leaned forward against her ear, grinning. “I’m helping you stretch.” Getting down on my knees in front of her.
Her eyes dilated. The feeling of disappointment replaced with nothing but lust. She placed her arms out to the side, resting up against the barre, supporting her weight. I grabbed her ankle, lifting it up in the air, rubbing along her leg as it was fully stretched, before setting it on the lowest barre. Running my other hand up her side, easing her over toward the extended leg. She understood what I was doing, reaching for her ankle, stretching. Standing back up, bringing her arms above her head, I caressed along her leg again, casually turning her torso so her leg was still placed on the barre behind her.
Her breathing hitched as I touched her all over her lower body. My lips softly kissing the inside of her thigh to where she wanted my mouth the most.

After Scarlet finds out she is pregnant, disaster strikes with the loss of one of their own. Scarlet struggles to come to terms with her impending motherhood she must find her place next to her mates.

When Alen continues to change women to wolves without their permission, the alphas must put an end to him. With new pack laws, Rift and Oscar only have 30 days before the mayor steps in. Everyone wants peace to be restored but will they be able to stop Alen? Or will the Mayor have to make good on his threat? Find out more in Shifting Tactics- Part Two

***This is an erotica novella series and is meant to be read in order***

McKayla loves to write books about sexy werewolves. She is a stay at home mom of two in the state of Wyoming. Born in California, she misses the hot weather all of the time. Her goals for the year was to publish her new series, Shifting Tactics. Mom of two little ones can take time but she is pushing to finish her work to get more books out for her lovely fans.

Ever since she was little she wanted to be a writer but doubters said that it would be impossible to make money at it. She is pushing herself hard to show them they are wrong.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

“You’re pregnant, Scarlet,” Rift said, a smile beaming from his face. A wave of nausea hit, making Scarlet’s stomach squeeze, her throat tighten, and her head spin a little.

Scarlet’s gaze shifted from Oscar to Rift then back again as her brain worked over what Rift said. Her hand instantly touched her abdomen, half expecting some kind of movement to happen.

“Really?” The one word fell from her mouth before she fully formed a better sentence. Knowing damn well not using protection led to this outcome, but she also wasn’t expecting it to happen so fast or the first time. Damn, I was so not expecting it to happen the first freaking time.

“It shouldn’t be a big surprise, Scarlet. You have two strong alphas as your mates.” Oscar puffed out his chest. Scarlet glanced outside toward the barn. All the females Alen changed currently lived in there. Her mates decided it was the safest place for them until Alen was captured. They were all under direct orders not to hunt for the dickhead. Her mates were worried if they placed the females in a home, Alen would kill them. She couldn’t wait for the girls to be out of the barn and in their own home.

Thinking about Ava and her pregnancy brought Scarlet back to earth. Nausea hit like a truck, but she managed to push down the urge to vomit. Changing the topic seemed like a better option than hurling her breakfast up. Her hand rubbed small circles on her stomach while she swallowed hard. Inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth helped her upset stomach.

“Is it safe to go to the store?” She watched both of their bodies instantly tense up. Oscar clenched his fist.

“No,” Oscar said without hesitation.

“I have agreed to stay home till this Alen guy is caught, but I am getting a little stir crazy, and it is my store. I need to make sure my employees are well and everything is in order.” Spending the last two weeks cooped up in the house was driving her insane. Yes, the home was spacious, but she had finished four books on her reading list and cleaned everything in the building including the two sheds out back.

I was never taught to love myself. All the different parts of me that make me unique. I was never taught to be unapologetically flawed. Many days I’m not sure how I’ve made it this far… the self-hate was debilitating. Everyday I painted a smile on my face and got up to face another day. When all the while I was dying inside. Death was eating away at every part of me. I lived in fear constantly. Sleeping with knives under my pillow. Thinking tonight would be the night it all ended. Startled out of my sleep by the sound of shouting. I remember feeling as if my heart would beat out of my chest. I remember thinking someone may die tonight. I remember thinking why is it always me? Why am I the one putting myself in danger to make sure nothing permanent happens?

Why doesn’t anyone see the lies behind my smile? The violence just under the surface? Locking myself in my room didn’t help to quite the voices. Locking myself in my room didn’t make what was going on go away. When most people think of abuse they think of the physical but no one recognizes that sometimes the emotional abuse is a pill much harder to swallow. For years I hated my existence. I didn’t understand why my family life wasn’t perfect. I didn’t understand why it seemed like the walls were closing in on me. I grew up before I should have. Surprised a lot of the pain. The shame. The misery. The hate I have is still strong… it’s still pure. What happens when you don’t feel safe at home… the one place you should above all others? What happens when grown men try to force themselves on you and you feel you have nowhere but to turn? I was never taught to love myself so I went searching for it in all the wrong places. It’s hard to dispel the cycle. It’s hard to remove yourself from the continuous loop. It’s hard to break the silence. I should have left.

I stared death in the face a time or two and I’m surprised I’m still here. I was threatened in high school. Told I would be tossed out a two-story window… in the place I was supposed to feel safe. Loved. Protected. Instead I felt fear. Hopelessness. Rage. Why would you let your child endure such hardships? Why would you stay? Most importantly why the hell did I?

Colors blended together making it hard to focus on one thing. I blinked a few times and just like that…

I saw her face.

As if she was standing right in front of me.

Smiling.

Happy.

Laughing.

My whole world…

My girl.

I felt my lips curl up slightly at the vision as I reached out for her. Wanting to touch her, needing to hold her, yearning to kiss her. Craving, God, craving to fucking love her.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured out loud to no one but the illusion of my drug-infested mind. “I’m so fucking sorry,” I repeated repentantly, longing for her to believe me.

Aching for her to love me again like she used to.

I don’t know how long I sat there, staring at her beautiful face before my eyes, subconsciously rubbing the tattooed key that was placed over my heart. I couldn’t take it anymore, and the desire won over the haze.

It was too powerful.

It was too vivid.

I grabbed my phone. “Baby,” I said into the speaker. The ringing quickly followed, going straight to voicemail. I hung up and tried again. “Baby,” I
urged with desperation in my tone.

Still nothing.

I tried again and again and again.

I would try until the end of time if that’s what it took for her to answer.

To talk to me.

To save me.

To crave me.

Time just seemed to standstill, as my life slowly played out in front of me. Trying to balance in between the light and the darkness when all I could see was gray.

“What?!” she screamed into the phone, finally answering after I don’t know how many failed attempts. “What the hell do you want now?”

“Mi cielo.” I breathed a sigh of relief.

She ignored my term of endearment. I hadn’t called her that in such a long time.

My heaven.

“What do you want, Austin? Why are you calling me? We’re over! I can’t do this anymore!”

I shut my eyes and let my mind wonder, allowing it to go to another place in time where she didn’t hate me.

“I remember the first time I made you smile,” I chuckled, as if it had just happened.

My nerves were on fire. The mere sound of her breathing through the phone was too intense for me. I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry.

“I remember when you used to smile just for me. Do you remember, baby? Do you remember what my love feels like?”

I heard her faintly breathing.

“Do you remember my hands on you? My lips? My tongue? The first time I made you come with my mouth? Do you remember all the times since? Tell me I’m not forgotten. Tell me you remember, baby.”

“No, Austin. You were dying with me,” she rasped, knowing that it killed her to say that.

“The first time I saw your face, I thought to myself, damn, this beautiful girl is goin’ to be the death of me. You were perfect in every way. I was a cocky son of a bitch who needed you then, as much as I need you now.”

More silence.

“I had a dream about you, baby. I always fucking dream about you. In my dream you had a ring on your finger. A ring I put there. You belonged to me. Only mine.
Forever fucking mine. You were pregnant, Briggs. You looked so goddamn happy. I saw light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in years.”

She sniffled into the phone.

“I made love to you. Slow, just the way you love. Taking my time to touch every last inch of your body. Memorizing every last bit of you. Making you come until you begged me to stop. I didn’t.”

“I can’t—” she tried to interject, but I didn’t let up.

“I kissed your stomach. Our baby. Letting my lips linger there, whispering sweet lullabies, letting her know daddy will always be there. Baby, it was so real.
For a second I gave you the one thing you so desperately wanted, the one thing I can’t give you.”

Bestselling author of The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, Two Sides Gianna, and The Good Ol’ Boys series. M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has angst, romance, triangles,
cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein. She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa Fl. She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces. They have two German Shepherd mixes and a Tabby cat.

If love were to stare me in the face tomorrow, I’m not sure I’d recognize it. I am broken in more ways then I can count. For years I’ve been searching for a love I’m no longer sure exists or is attainable. I want it all… The late night conversations, curling around one another like different parts of the same whole, and being so ingrained in each other’s hearts that they beat as one. A love strong enough to withstand the sands of time. Is that so much to ask for? Have I sinned to the point of becoming undeserving? I feel sorrow deep within me for things I’ve never really had but miss deeply.

I’ve always felt too deeply. I jump in with both feet and try to kick my way to the surface after but I am drowning. When I should be wallowing in the shallow end I’m neck deep in emotions… emotions I should have shielded myself from feeling. How can one love so deeply yet not understand the basic concept of the word? Jealousy stabs at my soul like a thousand needles. The tiny pinpricks consuming me and making me feel ashamed. I am damaged… sometimes I fear it is beyond repair. Man was not meant to walk this world alone. The one that balances the dark within you roams just as lost as you are without them.

Just once I’d like to feel… something. Anything. But then again feeling anything is what led me to this place of in between I currently reside in now. I just want to be held. Comforted in much the same way as a newborn babe… made to feel warm. Safe. Loved. What have I not learned yet that basic human companionship has been denied me for so long? In what ways have I been lacking? I have so much to give and yet I feel empty. My heart cries out for one that I cannot find… maybe will never find in time. I have tossed myself into the fire many times even though I always get burned. One would think my skin had become thick and impenetrable but still the claws of madness are able to get in.

It’s as if I’m always looking through the glass and my happy is just out of reach on the other side. What I wouldn’t give to touch it… even briefly. Real love is hard to find. The feeling of being lost inside another but yet separate. Sharing everything no matter what. What have I done? And how do I right the wrongs I’ve obviously committed?

BITTER RAPTURE

So the turmoil I’ve been feeling I’ve channeled it somewhat…fans of And So She Waited I present to you this beautiful disaster…please feel free to share and download the PDF file…it’s a prelude short before the events of And So She Waited…just little inner monologues from some of the characters…an inner working if you will…thanks to my baby mama (Lark from Wycked Ink) for the hauntingly perfectly beautiful cover…BITTER RAPTURE!

DISCLAIMER: This is just a little something I did to clear my head…it probably has a few (a lot!) of mistakes but it was just something I wrote and wanted to share with you off the cuff on my blog…If you enjoyed this Bitter Rapture teaser and want to find out what happens to Raven, Remy, and Matthew in And So She Waited (it’s edited I promise!) you can find the links at the end of the short!

The following story, while it may contain facts and pieces of actual truth, is based fully on fictitious events and the psychotic mind of the author.

Tread carefully. She keeps warning you. This time she’s just point blank said it. Be prepared to be MINDFU*Ked.

Once upon a time I was a little girl who grew up and had all her dreams come true… And I’m sure you’ve heard the whispered question, you know, the one about what happens after the shoe fits? Well, my name is Lexy Dean, and I’m here to tell you.